Designing and Building Web Based Information Systems: Software

1
Designing and Building Web Based Information
Systems Software

• Mark Rodekohr
• Energy Information Administration
• June 1997

2
Some Software Rules of Thumb

• Everyone will have their favorite which works for
  them
  
• Cost of acquisition and maintenance is a issue -
  compromises must be made
  
• Off the shelf is almost always better than custom
  software because of cost and the ability to use
  the experience of a wide variety of users
  
• A good example of the problems associated with
  custom software are the EIA legacy computer
  systems
  
• A good example of what not to do is the U.S.
  Department of State which continues to use a Wang
  based system not used by anyone else in the world.

3
Types of Software Needed for Web Development

• Text/Table Generation (in a browser readable
  format like HTML)
  
• Text Editor
• Graphics Generation
• Web Site Management

4
Text/Table Generation

• The availability of web viewable text/table
  generation software is almost overwhelming
  
• We use the Microsoft Internet assistants for
  Word, Access, Excel and PowerPoint
  
• Corels Office Suite is not bad but its barista
  generation technology leaves something to be
  desired
  
• Microsoft Front Page is also useful especially if
  you have their server software installed (this
  makes site management easier)

5
Microsoft Assistants

• These are free downloads and install easily into
  Office 95. They are included in Office 97.
  
• Once installed you simply create a Word (or
  import WordPerfect into Word), Excel, Access or
  PowerPoint presentation
  
• Then save the subject document, table,
  presentation etc... in the .htm format under file
  - save as.
  
• Sometimes it is necessary to go in with a text
  editor as a last step and change some of the HTML
  code.

6
Microsoft Assistants

• Advantages
• Well integrated with other Microsoft products
• Will make most conversions almost seamless
• Cost effective, larger user community

• Disadvantages
• Sometimes code gets added even when you did not
  want it (especially fonts)
  
• Formatting can be difficult (true of almost all
  HTML)

7
Corel Office Suite

• Advantages
• Works well with other Wordperfect products a well
  integrated system
  
• Most conversions are automatic

• Disadvantages
• Barista technology requires Java enabled browser
  and converts much of a document to bitmap format
  which is not very useful to many users
  
• Office Suite does not have the market share it
  once had

8
Adobes Distiller

• Advantages
• Produces a very good reproduction of a printed
  document
  
• The least expensive to produce - it literally
  takes minutes
  
• Can use as an input any postscript print file
• With some work and additional software a search
  capability can be added

• Disadvantages
• Requires users to download and install a reader
  which is beyond many users skills
  
• Resulting documents cannot be cut and pasted
  easily
  
• File sizes can be large
• Many users do not like having to install and use
  the reader

9
Text Editors

• Most are free or shareware
• Windows notepad works but is somewhat limited
• PFE short for Professional Editor works very
  well
  
• GREP is good in that it can search through the
  all the files in a directory and make global
  edits, very useful for a large web site

10
Image Production Software Paint Shop Pro

• Advantages
• Fairly inexpensive
• Excellent screen capture, color reduction and
  other special filters
  
• Good for making transparent gif images

• Disadvantages
• Does not do a good job of making complex images

11
Image Production Software Adobes Photoshop

• Advantages
• Very popular among high end users
• Many features can do just about everything

• Disadvantages
• Difficult to use requires much training
• Relatively expensive

12
Image Production Software Corel Draw

• Advantages
• Mid price and complexity range
• Huge amounts of clip are available to users
• Large user community

• Disadvantages
• All art looks like it was created in Corel
• Does take some time and training to use

13
Image Production Software Microsoft Image Maker

• Advantages
• Comes free with Microsoft Frontpage
• Easy to use requires little if any training

• Disadvantages
• Somewhat limited features and art come with the
  package
  
• Not as many features as Photoshop but good for
  simple web sites (you never want to use to much
  art in any event)

14
Web Management Software

• Microsoft Front Page - relatively inexpensive,
  good features (when server side software is
  installed), somewhat time consuming to use.
  
• Web Analyzer - inexpensive, easy to use checks
  links are performs other quality control
  functions in a very automated fashion

15
Search Software

• Very necessary for large web sites.
• EIA uses the Verity engine which is somewhat
  difficult to install but easy to maintain
  
• The state of the art is not all that good